Five BYU Football Walk-Ons To Watch For During Spring Practices
Feb 28, 2022, 12:15 PM
BYU football defensive back Ethan Slade with an interception during practice. (Rebeca Fuentes/BYU Photo)
(Rebeca Fuentes/BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – BYU football spring practices will be a proving ground for young players to earn spots on the depth chart or even the 123-man roster.
Under head coach Kalani Sitake, BYU has maintained its rich tradition of producing talented walk-ons. Two years ago, Dax Milne was one of the nation’s top receivers, then moved into a career in the NFL.
Football season is back! 🏈@BYUfootball spring practices start today.#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/XahUG5RxBR
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 28, 2022
Running back Tyler Allgeier set the single-season rushing record in BYU football history last year. When Allgeier arrived at BYU, he was a shy kid from Fontana, California, signing with the Cougars as a preferred walk-on.
Whether they are preferred walk-ons or the traditional try-out walk-ons, Sitake has consistently expressed a desire to have a roster of 123 players that can contribute to a game when called. So spring is a valuable time for the walk-ons to show those flashes to coaches that they could contribute this year or down the road in the Big 12 era.
#BYU head coach Kalani Sitake lays out the objectives for spring practices.#BYUFootball @kslsports
➡️: https://t.co/5uLfuUybuX pic.twitter.com/6hm8nwdFpJ
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 23, 2022
Here are five walk-ons that I’ll be keeping my eye on during spring practices, which begin on February 28 and run through March 31.
Austin Bell, Running Back
Bell was a productive running back at Utah high school powerhouse Corner Canyon, rushing for 1,148 yards during his junior year. He looked poised to be a prospect that would pull down numerous scholarship offers on the recruiting trail. But a pair of season-ending knee injuries to some schools backing off. BYU offered Bell a preferred walk-on opportunity, which he accepted. Bell grey-shirted last season before enrolling this past January.
Christopher Brooks and Jackson McChesney are projected as the top ball carriers, but Bell could be one of those guys that give the flashes in spring that could translate down the road.
Houston Heimuli, Fullback
Heimuli arrived at BYU out of the Transfer Portal from Stanford. The former Bountiful High standout and son of former BYU great Lakei Heimuli, Houston, was a captain for the Cardinal last season.
Now imagine, BYU going jumbo, I’m talking 23 personnel or 2-tight bone – not only it being a road grader formation, but being able to throw out of it too (if needed)..
Having Brooks, Wake, Houston, Rex and Holker lined up and not being sure if they’re gon’ blast or pass #GoCougs https://t.co/cQ0U4NaLtD pic.twitter.com/kLsbL9fVPL
— Hemā Heimuli Jr. (@x_hems) January 7, 2022
Heimuli signed with BYU as a preferred walk-on in hopes of adding to BYU’s dynamic offensive and showcasing his versatility as a fullback.
How Aaron Roderick plans to use Heimuli will be interesting. Roderick has turned wing tight end/fullback Masen Wake into a unique weapon within BYU’s offense. So, what creativity do A-Rod and Harvey Unga have in store for Heimuli? One thing is for sure, Heimuli loves to do all the little things to help a football team win a ball game.
Cade Hoke, Linebacker
The son of former BYU and Pittsburgh Steeler great Chris Hoke, Cade redshirted last season in his first year back from serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With starting linebackers Keenan Pili and Payton Wilgar being brought along slowly, there will be opportunities for the young linebackers to make plays during the spring.
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Coming out of North Allegheny High School in Pennsylvania, Hoke had 86 tackles after returning from an ACL injury that saw him miss the entire junior year of his prep career.
Blake Mangelson, Defensive Line
Mangelson saw action in seven games during his freshman season along BYU’s defensive line last year. Last week, during an interview with DJ & PK on The Zone powered by KSL Sports, BYU assistant head coach Ed Lamb praised the improvements that Mangelson has made with his body since the end of last season.
At 6-foot-5, 245-pounds last year, Mangelson fits the developmental prospect model that BYU likes in its defensive line recruits. If he stays healthy, he will be a guy that is in BYU’s top eight rotation along the defensive front.
Ethan Slade, Defensive Back
There’s a need for more depth in the defensive backfield for BYU football this year. Slade, a former Orem High DB, showed flashes of his potential in fall camp last year. During one of the scrimmages, he recorded two interceptions against BYU’s third-team offense.
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Look for Slade to compete at the safety position. He has good size at 6-foot, 183-pounds.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
